The Australian Migration Strategy 2023 significantly hopes to revise the student and graduate visa scheme, with a strong emphasis on maintaining the integrity of international education. Most of these changes are yet to be legislated and we will update you further then the legislation is released for each of them. To counter the trend of non-genuine students exploiting the visa scheme to access Australia’s labour market, the Government has implemented several measures:
- Closure of loopholes allowing students to switch to lower-quality education providers for work.
- An increase in the savings requirement for student visa eligibility to $24,505.
- Prohibition of agent commissions for onshore transfers between institutions.
Elevated English Language Requirements
From early 2024, the Australian Government will introduce higher English language requirements for Student and Temporary Graduate visas:
- Temporary Graduate visa: IELTS score requirement will increase from 6.0 to 6.5.
- Student visa: IELTS score requirement will increase from 5.5 to 6.0.
- ELICOS Pathway: IELTS score requirement will increase from 4.5 to 5.0.
- University Foundation Programs: IELTS score requirement will be 5.5.
New Ministerial Directions and Genuine Student Requirement
Two new Ministerial Directions will be introduced:
- Academic and Career Consideration: Focuses on the relevance of intended study to students’ future career prospects.
- Prioritization of Processing: Based on the risk level of education providers, with higher risk providers facing slower processing times. A new Genuine Student test will be implemented to curb visa hopping and ensure genuine student progression.
Enhanced Pathways for Graduate Visa Holders
The graduate visa scheme will be simplified, shortening the transition period from student to graduate visas. The Government will strengthen pathways from graduate visas to temporary skilled visas, like the Skills in Demand Visa, to provide employers with greater certainty regarding graduates’ work rights and pathways to permanent residence. The work experience requirement for a Temporary Skills Shortage visa will be revised to facilitate easier transitions to skilled visas.
New Graduate Visa Period and Age Limit
The duration of Temporary Graduate Visas will be:
- 2 years for Bachelor and Masters by coursework graduates.
- 3 years for Masters by research and PhD graduates. Extensions of 1-2 years will be available only to those who studied in regional areas. The maximum eligible age for a Temporary Graduate Visa will be reduced to 35.
Clear Post-Study Pathways and Stricter Requirements for Education Providers
The Strategy provides clear post-study pathways, including opportunities for work and, in some cases, permanent residency. It introduces stricter requirements for education providers to ensure high-quality education and training. A new VET Integrity Unit run by the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA) will oversee the quality of education and training.
Simplified Temporary Graduate Visas
The length of post-study work visas will change, but the Temporary Graduate visa will still allow graduates to gain valuable work experience. Graduates working in skilled jobs may be eligible for the new 4-year Skills in Demand visa, providing a clearer pathway to permanent residency.
Falcon Migration will keep you posted on these developments when they are legislated.